Take a bottle of the best extra virgin olive oil.  Now pour a bit of it onto a piece of toast, sprinkle with salt to your liking and then do the same with a freshly picked tomato. Put a few drops of raw olive oil onto it and take a good bite. I’m sure you’ve already done this.  Haven’t you noticed how your taste buds waken up. Don’t you notice the smell of the countryside, of freshly cut grass on your palate?  Don’t you get goose bumps when you note all the fruits and vegetables around this olive oil?  We bet you do. You can also take this freshly picked tomato and mix it with rocket or endives, add some dried fruit and nuts and dress it with olive oil and you’ll find yourself in seventh heaven. It’s clear that the first reason for consuming raw olive oil is its taste followed by that of its medicinal qualities because if you choose the best extra virgin olive oil, you’re taking in a foodstuff which is one hundred per cent natural, full of polyphenols which are beneficial for your health.  It’s the authentic juice of the olive.  It’s the oil which conserves all of its organoleptic qualities and which keeps best over the passage of time.  A bottle which is well looked after can perfectly maintain all of its organoleptic and health qualities for over two and a half years. This type of olive oils,like those produced at Masía El Altet, are free from all kinds impurities and for that reason their taste and aroma are the most natural.  They have nothing to do with other types of oil such as refined ones, which are oils blended in order to try to hide their  impurities.

Raw olive oil, the centre of the Mediterranean Diet

You can’t have any doubts about the fact that consuming raw olive oil of these characteristics is ideal for savouring a foodstuff around which the Mediterranean Diet revolves. On the market, you can find blended olive oil (which we have already said is a mixture of oils), virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.  If you give a nutritionist the choice, there is no doubt that he or she will choose extra virgin olive oil. And what explanation will he or she give?  That in order to produce this type of oil, there is no alteration in temperatures and for this reason, its nutrients are preserved.  Other oils are produced at higher temperatures with the sole aim of producing a greater quantity but, obviously, of a lower quality.  This is not the case with Masía El Altet’s olive oils, in which campaign after campaign, the net oil production varies between 8% and 13%. The majority of specialists recommend an intake of 50cc of raw olive oil, the equivalent of three table spoons.

Consume olive oil raw but also use it for cooking

But we also have to tell you that if you use it for cooking, the taste of your foods will be enhanced.  It’s true.  When you are cooking and when you are going to fry something, you have to think about what type of oil to use.  Why? Because all foodstuffs absorb part of the olive oil used.  So that if you use the best olive oil, its taste and also part of its many beneficial qualities will be passed on into the food you are going to eat.  So it’s logical that they’ll be far tastier.  If you use an olive oil with impurities as for example tasting fusty, of lees, mouldy or winey, these undesirable tastes will be transferred into the raw ingredients we’re working with. Many people have said that food fried with our Masía El Altet oils are tastier.  And even if you don’t notice it in the short term, using extra virgin olive oil for frying is also much better for your health.

The benefits of raw olive oil

And after talking about our palate and the reasons why it is more than advisable to cook with extra virgin olive oil, it’s now time to talk about the health benefits of using high quality raw olive oil. Let’s begin:

1.    It’s good for the heart and arteries

Your heart and arteries will be the first to note the positive effects of raw extra virgin olive oil.  It is one of the foodstuffs richest in monounsaturated fatty acids, that is to say, the healthy fats.  Every human being needs fats to survive, but they have to be of the healthy variety.  They are the ones that help to maintain levels of good cholesterol (called HDL) and eliminate bad cholesterol or LDL. Raw olive oil also stands out because it contains an infinite number of antioxidants and Vitamin C which also help to combat a huge number of illnesses.  It helps your arteries to stay clear and it’s fantastic for fighting against high blood pressure.

2.    It aids the digestive system

It’s going to help your digestive system and in what a way.  It reduces possible discomfort during digestion and will actively combat constipation.  Raw olive oil has a slightly laxative effect which is brilliant if you have problems going to the toilet.

3.    Your liver’s best friend

It’s the best foodstuff for purifying your liver and also the gall bladder.  The liver is one of the most important organs in the body since its main mission is to purify the blood. Using raw olive oil will help you to combat many illnesses such as all types of cancers.  You will also prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.  We’re going to say it again.  It’s at the centre of the Mediterranean Diet and that same Mediterranean Diet is the healthiest food system in the world. At Masía El Altet, we take the greatest care possible in producing the best extra virgin olive oils and from the best varieties of olives.  Picual, Arbequina, Alfafarenca, Blanqueta and Genovesa (the last three being autoctonous) in High Quality; also autoctonous ones and Changlot Real in Premium; we use only Changlot Real to produce our Special Selection and you’ll find 100% Picual in our High End.  Because the varieties also play a vital role in the production of the best extra virgin olive oil. For our palate, for the pleasure of savouring a unique foodstuff.  This is one of the reasons why we advise you to consume raw extra virgin olive oil.  But also so that you get all the good out of all its properties  which are beneficial for your health.  These are the two basic ideas around which this post has been constructed. How do you consume raw olive oil? Can you give us some ideas in the comments section? Have you enjoyed this post? Did you find it useful?  If so, would you share it with members of your family and friends? Follow us on facebook